Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/370174
4 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014 BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2014–2015 Kip Spencer, Chairman kspencer@plswa.com Tammy Young, Chairman Elect tammy.young@alaskaair.com Paul Ravetta, Vice Chairman paul_ravetta@yahoo.com Doug Seto, Treasurer dougseto@comcast.net John Myer, Secretary johnmyer@comcast.net Marilyn Boss, Immediate Past Chairwoman marilyn.l.boss@marsh.com RESIDENT Verne Benedict Gregg Blodgett Carese Busby Grace Chien Lynn Dissinger Julie Glade Roberta Goodnow R. Danner Graves John Hoverson Christine Kelly Michael McQuaid Shawn McWashington Courtney Meyer Rose Mitchell Rick Page Jessica Pearlman Gil Picciotto John Platt Robert Rupp Bettina Stix Brad Thoreson Amy Vithayathil-Sydow Tim Wang Roger Young NON-RESIDENT BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2013–2016 Forrest Aldrich, NW Washington Tom Anderson, E Washington William Bump, California William Burg, Montana Arthur C. Campbell, NE Washington Peter Carpenter, New York Peter Goldsmith, Oregon Jeff Hogan, Central Washington Thomas F. Kenney, NW Washington Robin Sahnow, Alaska Richard L. Small, SE Washington PROGRAM BOARD 2014–2015 Courtney Meyer, Chair Ron Robin, Vice Chair Maria Finlayson, Secretary Frank Yon, Immediate Past Chair Chris Barone Angelica Buri Laurie Flynn Shannon Hull Nanette Nelson Vicki O'Briant Anne Schulz Errol Scott Marge Thorgrimson Karl Uri Greg Van Gaver Vanessa Volkman Laura Wigren Letter from the Chairman Kip Spencer, Chairman of the Board of Governors / kspencer@plswa.com A s a longstanding member of the WAC, I've witnessed the Club weather the storm of several economic downturns. In each instance, the Club's leadership stepped up to make prudent business decisions and keep us operating at optimum service levels. As I settle into my new role as Chairman, I am mindful of the past, but also excited about the future. Specifically, there are several downtown construction trends that have me feeling optimistic. e Downtown Seattle Association recently released its semiannual development guide and the findings are welcome news. e report identifies an impressive tally of 100 active construction projects in the downtown Seattle area. Residential construction is fueling a majority of this growth. Projects are being built at unprecedented levels. When completed, downtown Seattle will have roughly 6,000 new residential units, creating a healthy pool of prospective WAC members. e proposed expansion of the Washington State Convention Center will double the center's size and is expected to bring an additional $164 million to downtown annually, according to Puget Sound Business Journal. Because of this and other projects, several new hotels are under construction or in development in Seattle. e Inn at the WAC—which recently upgraded its suites and décor—is poised to remain a com- petitive luxury boutique hotel in this market with amenities that no other hotel can match. In fact, the Inn enjoyed record-breaking revenue this past fiscal year. Technology firms remain the biggest story in Seattle as Silicon Valley-based com- panies add more offices here and Amazon continues to expand. ere's more than 9 million square feet of proposed office projects in the downtown pipeline. is includes the 50-story expansion of nearby Rainier Square. It's exciting that our historic Club is at the center of so much growth. Our mem- bers will get to witness all this development as it takes shape. We anticipate that this construction will be a boon for the Inn, our parking garage, and our membership growth goals. But we also recognize it could pose some challenges. Nevertheless, I'm a firm believer that "a rising tide lifts all boats." I look forward to working with the WAC leadership to navigate the waters that lie ahead. It's an exciting time to be a WAC member! Downtown growth bodes well